


Thirty-fourth story, “Close to you.”

by satans_dolly_boy666



Series: Tony Stark & Peter Parker duo Prompts OR Spiderman stories and ocasionally the appearance of Tony and the avengers [34]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Absent Parents, Adoption, Adoptive Parents - Freeform, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Parents, Bad Parenting, Brotherhood, Child Death, Family, Family Bonding, Family Drama, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Family Issues, Family Secrets, Gen, Harley Keener & Peter Parker Friendship, Harley Keener is Tony Stark's Biological Child, Harley Keener is a Good Bro, Heart Attacks, Hiding Medical Issues, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt Peter Parker, Illegal Activities, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Kid Peter Parker, Medical Conditions, Medical Inaccuracies, Minor Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Organ Theft, Organ Transplantation, Parent Pepper Potts, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter and Harley are brothers, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Harley Keener, Protective Pepper Potts, Sad Ending, Secrets, Suicide, Suicide Notes, Tony Stark Does What He Wants, harley is ill, tony is a shit in this one, tragic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-01-05 14:42:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21210230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/satans_dolly_boy666/pseuds/satans_dolly_boy666
Summary: "Peter never understood why he was adopted, he just didn't fit in as a son material for the high society. He is not elegant, he is clever, but not aesthetically pleasing to the eyes of the wealthy at all.At first, he didn't understand, but then he understood."~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Three months without writing a story related to this fandom... I have no excuses, I got bored and went to the dark side of the Hannibal fandom.Well, whatever. In this story, Tony's a piece of shit. You have been warned.--------------------------------------------------------Prompt #33: "Adoption." (ummmareyousure?-- xd)





	1. A new family member.

**Author's Note:**

> This story was quite improvised, with no previous revision or editing because I'm still too busy with my life. Please, understand if you notice grammar mistakes/errors.

At first, Peter didn't understand why they adopted him.

They were a model couple, of the upper class, young, successful, good-looking; they had everything but a child. Or something like that, and yet they also did have one. He wasn't able to find out the name of the other child, the blood child, the official child, until a few weeks later when he overheard his adoptive parents chatting late at night. His name, Harley. A boy. Like him, but different than him. Peter didn't want to be pissed off over the fact that his now new parents, Pepper and Tony, haven't introduced him to his... new brother?

At first, he didn't understand, but then he understood.

One night, Peter heard the cry of a boy. The crying was soft and with hiccups in between; Peter knew well that he wasn't allowed to ramble in his "new home," call it a huge mansion that didn't feel at all like a cosy home. Peter didn't care, he was already upset because his parents kept him hidden from everyone else, like a disgrace as well as a sudden action full of regrets, by adopting a dirty rat as a son. Peter just wanted to peek, he was very curious about the other son's appearance. His intention was never to be discovered, but he still was._"Who's there? Mummy? Daddy?"_

But Peter didn't answer. The boy, however, kept talking. _"Are you Uncle Rhodey? Or Happy?" "No, I'm Peter." _He said. Shyly, he peered his face from the edge of the door. Harley was a blonde boy with pale blue eyes. Peter instantly felt that they both were almost the same age. With a serious expression, the boy asked him once again _"Are you the new minion servant of my dad?"_ but Peter quickly denied with a jerky head movement. Peter knew there was no reason to lie unless there was one, but he didn't know it so he had a reason to excuse himself if he got into trouble. _"I'm... Your adopted brother? Or I think so.”_ Harley seemed confused, but his sudden unsafe behaviour eased a bit. _"Oh, my parents didn't tell me anything. Adopting a puppy would have been enough, though," _and then the pair laughed. _"Nice to meet you, Peter. I'm Harley.”_

Weeks of smuggling conversations went by; Harley never went to visit him, but he had his reasons. Peter liked his new brother, so he decided to make the sacrifice for them both. Harley was being watched by his nana and other people during the day, so they could only see each other at night. And then, the day they were discovered showed up, and that day wasn't as bad as Peter expected. Pepper had been shocked when he saw Peter and Harley playing chess, and at first, no words came out from her. Harley decided to go first. _"Hi, Mum. I know it's late, but I'm playing with Peter. Isn't that why you brought me a brother, to play?"_ Pepper evaded watching them and she looked at the ground instead, and simply said, _"Yes, sweetheart. Peter is your brother now." _From that day on, Peter and Harley were able to play during the day as well.

Not everything was happiness and flowers. Peter, like other nights, was able to overhear the couple arguing. He didn't like to listen to adults fighting, it brought him back memories from the orphanage. Tony, his alleged father now, was someone absent. He barely remembered his face, but his voice was hard to forget. It emanated power and authority, although the truth is that Pepper was more likely to really intimidate you. Peter was going to put on his headphones and listen to music while ignoring the pair fighting, but something, or rather, a line, caught his attention._ "Pepper, Harley is our son. Listen, I know it's hard, but he's young, if Peter disappears tomorrow, he'll forget." _His words came out coldly, without any love towards him._"It was your idea, Tony! They are being too close to each other, they play together, eat together, even sometimes sleep together!” _And then Pepper started to cry. Peter didn't know what was going on, but a woman as strong as Pepper was crying, so it must have been something serious.

Peter never understood why he was adopted, he just didn't fit in as a son material for the high society. He is not elegant, he is clever, but not aesthetically pleasing to the eyes of the wealthy at all.

**At first, he didn't understand, but then he understood.**

_"Pepper, don't cry, baby, come here. It's a sacrifice, you know Harley will die if we don't do this, no matter how much money we have, we can't wait for someone to donate a heart to him. It's the only way out for now." _

That night, Peter didn't sleep. He, however, reflected extensively. His life was constant bad luck, maybe it was time to surrender to living it.

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_**I have no idea of the author of the picture, I just know that he or she is Korean**_ <strike>(i.e. obviously by the tiny words over there haha)</strike>


	2. Weak.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I was asked to continue this story and I decided to break the routine of doing one-short / single chapter stories for your sake. Let's hope it endures.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enlightenment number 1: In this story, Peter is older than Harley for a few years, maybe there is a two-year gap between them (Peter was 9 at first and Harley 7.) 
> 
> Enlightenment number 2: I know absolutely nothing about medicine and heart diseases, just ignore whatever barbaric thing I'm writing, maybe in the real world Harley would already have died, or maybe not. I don't know, I always inform myself in order to write my stories but this time I didn't do it (and it shows, I'm lazy and sad.)

From the beginning, Peter remained locked in the house, as if he were a caged bird. Yes, his new parents gave him everything he needed to live, he had a wide selection of toys, he could eat as much as he wanted and when he wanted to, and he even had his own room. However, Peter felt like he was at the orphanage, alone and neglected.

Nothing had changed since he knew the real reason he was adopted, neither he spoke it to Harley, deciding that maybe the other boy didn't know anything about it and that it was better to remain in that way. For a few weeks he discovered two things: first, Harley was born with a sick and weak heart, and since he was two years old he has been waiting for a heart other than his own; second, Peter is undoubtedly the donor, obviously, unlawfully. At first, Peter never left the house, not even in the backyard, but all that changed in the following weeks when his friendship with Harley was discovered by Pepper herself. Twice a week, Peter was carefully and secretly taken to a private clinic. His routine changed drastically. _"It's just to check on your health, Peter. Don't be afraid,"_ Pepper once said, but Peter already knew the real reason for it. Peter, even as a young kid, wonders if Pepper really feels guilty about what she's doing; the kid sees her forced smile every time she brings him to that extremely clean clinic, and most of the time, Pepper looks like she might cry when she sees Peter playing with Harley. He never had a mother, so he still has the same doubt every time he´s next to her.

_"Do you think they'll ever let us play outside?"_ he asked Harley, but he simply replied, _"Nah, I can't run or jump, they won't even let me walk in peace. Forget about it."_ Every time Peter lay down in his bed, he thought of his real reason for being in that big and elegant house, of having been adopted with the promise of finally getting a family to be deceived with a cruel approach. Such thoughts are not normal in a small child, but Peter believes that he's not normal at all and that perhaps he never really was.

Peter doesn't understand his reason for being alive, but what he knows is that he doesn't want to die.

Christmas was never something happy and fun for Peter; at the orphanage, you learn to be a robot, to wake up, to eat a little and to take care of whatever few things you have, to try to sleep and to go back to the same routine again. No gifts exist there, just sadness and different stories, which at the same time are connected by the fact of not having parents. Christmas with his new... family? or at least, with Harley, was something unique. There were food, gifts and an extremely tall Christmas tree.

The second time Peter saw Tony, he didn't know how to behave. The man is muscular, he has a slight beard and he isn't as tall as Peter expected, but still, he's kind of intimidating for the boy. Peter still prefers Pepper if he had to choose between both adults. Tony didn't talk to him all night, he didn't even bother to look at him. Peter, although he had a good time with Harley, felt that that Christmas was not as different as the others because he felt an ache deep in his stomach and chest every time he saw how Harley, Pepper and Tony interacted as the perfect family they are.

_ "Peter? Are you okay?", "Yeah, just... uh, Harley, can I ask you something?", “Sure.”_ Peter actually wanted to ask him a lot of questions, but he opted for the first thing that came out of his head. _"What's your dad like?"_ Harley seemed surprised by the question, but he took a few moments to think of his answer anyway._"He's good but weak." “Weak?”,"Yes, he's weak towards people, he doesn't usually show much but he feels too much, I think he even feels more than me or mum."_ Peter doesn't know whether to believe him, but he decides to do it for now. 

The poor boy spent every day with the idea that maybe it would be the last, that he would suddenly wake up in an operating room with his chest open and an unconscious Harley next to him, however, five more years passed by, and the kid is now a fourteen-year-old teen. 

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Pictures are from We Heart It idk I´m lazy guys !!!! 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if there are grammar mistakes, I'm not editing this story and I don't have a Beta helping me. I got little time because of my job and/or because I'm just craving to cry and die every second of my life oops (I´m not kidding, depression is a bitch.)


	3. No future.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More about this shitty story. 
> 
> It´s now 2020 and we´re all going to die! yay!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, the initial idea was that Peter would be older than Harley by two years but someone kindly told me that for organ donations, especially in children, it is necessary to be of the same age, both donor and recipient. SO FORGET ABOUT THIS FACT, RIGHT NOW. This is a fanfiction and I an ignorant :/ I clearly haven't taken the trouble to do any research, even the story is not edited! (I~need~a~beta~) Please, keep that in mind. I know I can do better, but I'm not emotionally well enough to do it, it's no excuse, I swear.

The relationship between Peter and Harley has been excellent so far; they both had everything and had nothing at the same time. Peter began to think of him not only as a brother, but also as a best friend. Harley, the rich kid, knew absolutely nothing about being happy until the other boy appeared in his life. Everything seemed perfect.

**Until it wasn't.**

Peter wasn't a kid anymore, he was a teenager and a very smart one. On the other hand, Harley still needed to grow up a bit, but he was just as smart as his brother. Both of them fit right into each other's lives.

_"Peter, it's time for the checkup. Hurry up."_

_"Wait, I can't find my bag!"_

_"You don't need one!"_

_"Mrs. Stark, every teenager needs a backpack no matter where they go!"_

The relationship with Pepper remained stable, it was not a relationship between a mother and a son but Peter knew how to overcome that feeling of resentment towards her, at least; she'sa mother after all, not his mother and one who was using him, sure, but she was not really a bad person, in fact she is a good woman compared to the cold and distant father whom he knew absolutely nothing about.

His brother, though still childish and stubborn, was no fool. _"Why do you always take Peter to check up and not us both together? He's not sick like me, is he?"_ Harley one asked his parents. Mr. Stark simply replied, _"It's just checkups to make sure he's in good health."_ But Mrs. Stark's stares were hesitant, and no doubt the son didn't eat that story. He didn't ask any more, though.

Peter didn't know what to do. For one thing, he didn't mind giving his life to Harley; on second thought, it was for the best. Peter Parker is just an orphan child, with no real parents willing to love him, no other relatives to care for him. He was completely alone in the world, and he began to consider Harley the only important person in his pitiful and miserable life.

Harley deserved to get out of that damn prison called "home," to run and breathe fresh air, make lots of friends and even experience love.

So, Peter just tried to ignore the fact that his days were counted, that his adoptive parents were using him and he just gave in. _"It's all right,"_ he kept saying over and over again.

One day, Harley was feeling really bad. The symptoms were getting worse. Peter stayed by his side the whole time, trying to distract him from his pain.

_"Peter, what would you like to be when you grow up?"_

_"I'm already grown up, silly."_

_"Come on, you're still a brat."_

_"You're one too!"_

_"Well, yeah, we both are! You don't even have a driver's license, kiss someone or have drunk alcohol and all that dumb grown-up stuff, you're not one yet!"_

_"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say."_

_"You still haven't answered my question!"_

But there was nothing to answer for, because he simply wasn't going to have the opportunity to go to college, maybe to travel or to get married, or anything else that life provided him. He was just going to die young and no one would remember him. That's the whole truth.

_"So?"_

_"I don't know, maybe when I grow up I'll be you!"_

_"What does that even mean? Hey! Don't run away!"_

_"Wait a minute, I'm gonna pee!"_

**Harley, at the time, didn't understand that answer.**

**But then he did.**

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I PROMISE I'm gonna finish this piece of garbage no matter what.


	4. Resignation.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing to say, I´m sorry Tony is a ~s h i t~ in this story but try to understand, he´s a powerful and rich man, obviously, he must be a *** (?) :D ...

It was all an accident, Harley had slept for several hours, recovering from the effects of strong medicine. He didn't hesitate to go straight to Peter's room. He didn't find him there, though. Strange, he thought, but he kept looking through the wide corridors of the mansion.

Walking a little further, he saw Peter but before he could approach him, he realized that Peter was peeping at something, and with the whispers (almost screams, but they weren't quite so) of his parents, he figured out that his brother was quietly listening to the adults' quarrel. His mother had a strange voice, almost like she was in a state of anguish; she sounded really upset. His father, as always, had a firm voice.

_"It's still too soon!"_

_"Of course not! Our son is getting worse, the doctor gave her approval, it's time and you know it!"_

_"But- but Peter-"_

_"I thought I made it clear when I said he would be solely the source to restore our son's health! Peter is not our son but Harley! Don't forget that”_

_"You don't understand! You're never at home! They're always together, they're inseparable! Harley looks happier since he met Peter, I don't know... I can't..."_

_"Listen, I'm tired of arguing the same thing every time I come to this fucking place. You have to choose, your son or the orphan. That's it."_

_"You don't care about anything! You don't care about your child's health, you just want to make sure you have the precious inheritor of your blood, nothing else!_

The boy stopped listening to them, he didn't need to hear anything else. Harley understood everything, the sudden adoption, the occasional check-ups, the fact that they were always locked up from other people as if they were a secret to be hidden.

Then he looked at Peter. He looked sad, but there was something else in his eyes. Resignation? **Yes, it was that.**

Harley went back to his room without looking back. He went from being shocked by being angry. At that moment he was able to understand the other boy's answer when Harley asked him about his future plans.

_"I don't know, maybe when I grow up I'll be you!" _sounded in his head all that was left of the day.

Later, Peter went into his room, and when he saw his face, Harley knew he had to do something about all this injustice.

_"Harley, are you feeling better? I brought you some snacks!"_

He wanted to say no, that he felt worse than ever, but yet he didn't mention it.

_"Yeah, I'm better. What were you doing?"_

They both spent their time, as usual, smiling, eating and talking. Peter was thinking it might be his last day with his brother, and Harley, realizing time was running out for both of them.

When the night came, Mrs Stark told them that the next morning they were going to get a checkup. **Both of them. Together. After all this time.** Peter pretended to be surprised and said, _"Oh, it's about time we go there together!"_

**But Harley didn't say anything back.**

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the pictures are from We Heart It.


	5. Cold bed.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you I was going to finish this trash.

_"Peter, can I sleep in your bed?"_

_"Oh? This is unusual. Do you feel okay?"_

_"Yes, it's just that..."_

_"Yes?"_

_"I just want to sleep next to you. Pretty please?"_

_"Well, but your mother's going to kill me when she finds out, you haven't been well these days!"_

It seemed perfect for Peter, to be able to spend the last night glued to Harley, his brother and best friend. Honestly, Peter didn't want to spend the night alone, maybe he was going to have nightmares or cry until he could fall asleep and that would just be plain sad. Peter knew the day would come, and he still didn't know how to feel about it. His love for Harley had grown, but he still thought being deceived by Mr and Mrs Stark made him have mixed feelings.

Harley finally fell asleep, and that's when he decided to relax, to close his eyes and think no more.

**But Harley had fooled him, he was like his parents after all.**

You never know what's on a child's mind, they often surprise you. Harley feels that he cannot complain about his life so far, he never experienced hunger and had all the objects and toys that every child has ever wanted. However, he never got the love of his parents, not properly. He knows they love him, in their own way, of course.

Then he looks at Peter, a boy with no parents, no friends, who have gone through hunger, cold and abuse; he certainly cannot complain about his own life.

Peter is what he needed, that which he lacked in his life, **love and affection.**

Harley felt stupid. An idiot, a real idiot. It was to be expected that his parents were up to something by adopting another boy. Another son? But they could barely handle the biological one.

Peter is not an idiot, he probably knew about everything for a long time, and yet, he was still by his side.

His brother seemed so peaceful when he was sleeping... it was almost impossible not to compare him to a corpse now.

**It was an impulse, thinking it over and not doing it too.**

Peter was going to die, all because of his clumsy, weak heart. His brother, the one who is not of blood but who cares for him most, was going to be used to save his ass.

Harley was pissed off, really pissed off. Mad at his parents, mad at Peter for being so stupidly good, and even angry at life itself. Nothing was fair.

He didn't hesitate to take out his sketchbook and a pen to write, to write like never before. All his feelings recorded on three pieces of paper. A bit cliché, he thought, but a good therapeutic method.

He looked at his brother one last time and smiled. Peter was definitely going to live.

…

The sun barely rose, and there was absolutely nothing to be heard in the great Stark mansion.

And then, a scream.

Both boys were always hidden from the outside world, no one knew that the powerful and wealthy Mr and Mrs Stark were not perfect as they appeared, that their son had a weak heart, or that they had adopted another child for illegal purposes only.

No one also found out how their biological son, barely a teenager, committed suicide on the day he was to be saved.

All that was left of Harley was three pieces of paper.

That day Peter felt his bed was too big and too cold without his brother by his side. 

**The end.**

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope the end wasn't too abrupt for you! I liked your ideas, there were people who had another vision of what this story would be, I hope I caused them a surprise as many expected an ending where Peter was going to die. 
> 
> So, If you want to make a story based on this one, please don't hesitate to send me the link so as to read your works!
> 
> Also, it's said that it's unusual for someone under 15 to attempt suicide, but I've had suicidal thoughts since I was 10 lol  
This is an interesting article if you want to know more about this matter:  
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/understanding-grief/201811/why-do-young-children-commit-suicide

**Author's Note:**

> This story was quite improvised, with no previous revision or editing because I'm still too busy with my life. Please, understand if you notice grammar mistakes/errors.


End file.
